Just finished my first lifesize blackbear. I had quite a few form alterations, one being leg length and I found out the leg rods are necessary LOL. I got that fixed during mounting and am pleased. I did find the front legs have just a little bit of slack in them (on the back sides) between the knee and shoulders. It is unnoticable except to feel. The bear is my own and I would like to fix this because I know it is there. I spent some time at the orange button but didn't have any luck. I think I remember talk of injecting silicone into something like this? Maybe I'm making it up. The amount of slack will probably amount to a wrinkle after it is dried, but if anyone has a suggestion, I'd appreciate it. Thanks, Scott
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cut and pasted, hope you dont mind being quoted, you sis say this :-)
Relief cuts are in the forms
This response submitted by George on 07/26/2004 at 16:44. ( georoof@aol.com ) cache-dtc-ac14.proxy.aol.com
The most often used ones are under the legs of lifesized animals. Bears are especially troublesome withough someplace to put that extra "arm pit" skin and the relief cut is made on the back side just to serve this purpose.
corection in post above,,did,,not sis.
for loose skin, you can make relief cuts in the arm pits, and I think someone said to make cuts in the back side of arms or legs and tuck the skin into them. Famous man has a tool made just for this.
I'm not sure where the knee is on a bear's front leg,but enough slack in the skin to cause a wrinkle isn't much.Don't pump anything in there.Just keep working the skin as it dries and you can get rid of all slack and wrinkles.Called taxiing the skin.
stay away from reiief cuts. MAKE IT FIT!
Thanks guys. The slack occurred halfway up the leg to the armpit. I just checked it and is just becoming a wrinkle so I will continue taxiing it. I did, by the way, cut some slots in armpit areas to tuck armpit skin, using my dog as a test subject to see where those should be. Anyway, thanks guys, I appreciate it. Scott
I've heard my share of cockamamie advice, but yours is as smart as a box of rocks. "stay away from reiief cuts. MAKE IT FIT!" Now I immediately invision what your work must look like. Just how, pray tell, do you make an armpit fit the form when there's none cast into it? How about a sleeping or reclining bobcat or cougar or fox? I sure hope you aren't teaching others your methods.
Scott, sounds as if your problem was taxiing the hide and you seem to have gotten a handle on it that Jim suggested.